Christ before Caiaphas, from The Passion 1512

Albrecht Durer created this woodcut, Christ before Caiaphas, as part of his series, ‘The Passion.’ This image uses powerful visual codes to explore the timeless conflict between spiritual authority and earthly power. Made in Germany during the early 16th century, a time of immense religious and social upheaval, it shows the trial of Christ before the high priest Caiaphas. Durer’s detailed rendering of faces and clothing reflects the social hierarchy of his time. Caiaphas is adorned in elaborate robes, a symbol of religious authority, while Christ appears humble and bound. The looming weapons in the background hint at the violence to come, but they also remind us of the legal and institutional power that Caiaphas represents. Was Durer critiquing the corruption of religious institutions? To understand the full weight of Durer's statement, we can turn to historical archives, theological texts, and studies of the Reformation. These resources help us to see how the meaning of the artwork is deeply embedded in the social and institutional context of its time.